WASHINGTON  Republicans continued to raise and spend substantially more money
than Democrats in the 1997-98 election cycle, according to figures released today by the
Federal Election Commission.

From January 1, 1997, through December 31, 1998, national, state and local Republican
party committees reported federal (hard dollar) receipts of $285 million and
disbursements of $275.9 million. This is a 17% increase in fundraising and a 19% increase
in spending when compared to the same period in the last mid-term election of 1993-94.
Democratic committees raised $160 million and spent $155.3 million during 1997-98, an
increase of 20% in receipts and 18% in disbursements when compared to 1993-94.

Individuals continued to account for most of the party committees receipts.
Republicans received $240.8 million, 84%, of their receipts from individuals, while
Democrats received $111.5 million, 70%, from individuals. Republicans for the first time
surpassed Democrats in PAC receipts, receiving $21.4 million in PAC contributions, up
$16.7 million from 1993-94. Democrats received $18.9 million from PACs, up $6.1 million
over 1993-94.

Regarding federal candidate support, Republican committees contributed $2.6 million
directly to candidates and spent $15.7 million in coordinated expenditures* on behalf of
candidates. Democratic committees contributed $1.2 million in direct contributions and
reported $18.6 million in coordinated expenditures. Coordinated expenditures by both
parties declined overall in this cycle, and there were also significant shifts in this
spending away from House and Senate Campaign Committees toward state parties and, for
Democrats, the Democratic National Committee. Democrats also reported $1.5 million in
independent expenditures while Republicans reported only $263,646.

The following chart provides a comparison of political party activity during the last
11 election cycles:

1997-98

1995-96

1993-94

1991-92

1989-90

1987-88

1985-86

1983-84

1981-82

1979-80

1977-78

Democrats

Raised

$160.0

$221.6

$139.1

$177.7

$85.7

$127.9

$64.8

$98.5

$39.3

$37.2

$26.4

Spent

$155.3

$214.3

$137.8

$171.9

$90.9

$121.9

$65.9

$97.4

$40.1

$35.0

$26.9

Contributed

$1.2

$2.2

$2.2

$1.9

$1.5

$1.7

$1.7

$2.6

$1.7

$1.7

$1.8

Coord.
Exp

$18.6

$22.6

$21.1

$28.0

$8.7

$17.9

$9.0

$9.0

$3.3

$4.9

$0.4

Indep
Exp

$1.5

$1.5

Repubicans

Raised

$285.0

$416.5

$245.6

$267.3

$205.3

$263.3

$255.2

$297.9

$215.0

$169.5

$84.5

Spent

$275.9

$408.5

$234.7

$256.1

$213.5

$257.0

$258.9

$300.8

$214.0

$161.8

$85.9

Contributed

$2.6

$3.7

$2.8

$3.0

$2.9

$3.4

$3.4

$4.9

$5.6

$4.5

$4.5

Coord.
Exp

$15.7

$31.0

$20.4

$33.8

$10.7

$22.7

$14.3

$20.1

$14.3

$12.4

$4.3

Indep
Exp

$0.3

$10.0

(federal dollars only, in millions)

Republicans ended the election cycle with cash-on-hand of $9 million and debts of $8.7
million. Democrats ended with $6 million cash-on-hand and debts of $15.1 million.

Both major parties continue to raise large amounts of nonfederal or "soft
money." Republican "soft money" accounts raised $131.6 million, a 151%
increase over 1993-94, while Democrats collected $92.8 million, an 89% increase. This
money, raised outside the limitations and prohibitions of the Federal Election Campaign
Act, is prohibited from being used in connection with federal elections. It may, however,
be used to pay a portion of the overhead expenses of party organizations, as well as other
shared expenses that benefit both federal and non-federal elections. It is also used for
issue advocacy, as well as generic party advertising. Some of it may be transferred from
national committees to state and local party committees. It also supports construction and
maintenance of party headquarters.

For the 1997-98 election cycle, Democrats disbursed $93 million from their

non-federal accounts. Of this amount, $34.8 million was transferred to state party
committees, $3.8 million was contributed to state and local candidates, while $43.2
million was spent on joint federal/non-federal expenses and $18.2 million was used for
other expenses. Republican disbursements totaled $127.7 million during the cycle, of which
$34.3 million was transferred to state parties, $11.1 million was contributed to state and
local candidates, $49.3 million was spent on joint federal/non-federal activity, and $41
million was for other expenses.

Attached to this release are various charts, graphs and tables describing overall
political party financial activities during the 1997-98 election cycle:

The FECs Final Report on 1997-98 financial activity of political
party committees will be published later this year.

This release and the data contained in it are also available on the FECs webpage
at http://www.fec.gov (look under Financial Information for Candidates, Parties,
and PACs). This release is also available under News Releases and Media Advisories.

* Coordinated expenditures are monies spent by national and state party committees on
general election nominees and are in addition to contributions. Under federal election
law, these expenditures, like contributions, are limited in amount. Party committees may
work with candidates campaigns to determine how the monies should be spent, but the
campaigns do not receive the funds directly.